A woman kept an orange with her every day for years because she was so scared a sex offender with a fruit allergy who abused her might return.

Michael Waters, 78, killed a nine-year-old girl in Liverpool in 1959 and served 10 years of his sentence. He used to live in Bridgwater, Somerset.

He was recalled to prison in the later 80s, but after his release in 2015 detectives began working on a two year investigation into a string of sex offences.

Sheffield Crown Court, South Yorkshire, heard one of Waters' abuse victims, now in her 50s, came forward to speak about the abuse she suffered back in the 1970s.

An orange fruit (Image: Getty)

She said she carried an orange with her at all times and began to peel it to deter Waters after discovering the sick pervert was allergic to fruit.

He was given a life sentence for nine counts of sexual offences, including attempted rape.

Detective Constable Andy Anstey said: "Waters is an extremely dangerous individual who, since the age of 21, has committed inexplicably horrendous crimes, showing no remorse and going on to re-offend.

"Having already served 30-years behind bars previously, and now in his late 70s, I'm confident that Waters will spend the rest of his life in jail, which is undoubtedly where he belongs due to the danger he poses.

"The victim, who was under 14 at the time the abuse began, was terrified of Waters, who preyed on her innocent nature and took advantage of her, going on to sexually assault her at any opportunity he had.

"Waters had an allergy to oranges and the victim was so petrified of him that she carried an orange with her, which she would begin to peel in a bid to deter him every time he came near her.

"On one occasion the victim believes she would have been raped by Waters, had he not been disturbed as he abused her one evening, subjecting her to yet another horrifying ordeal."